Thera 2.19: Nanda
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(139):Nanda Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =139. Nanda= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu, as the son of (king)rāja Suddhodana and of Great Pajāpatī,1 and a joy to his kin, on his naming day he was named Nanda. When Nanda was of age, the Lord(Buddha), rolling the Wheel of the Path(Dhamma), came out of compassion to Kapilavatthu. Making a shower of rain the occasion, he told the Vessantara Jataka.2 On the second day, by the verse 'Rise up,' he established his father as a Stream-winner(Sotapana/first samadhi of Nirvana); Pajāpatī also by the verse, 'Follow after a holy life(celibacy),' and the (king)rāja further, as a Once-returner. On the third day, when seeking alms at the coronation-hall where congratulations were being offered to Prince Nanda on his wedding, the Lord(Buddha) handed the prince his bowl and wished him luck. And he, taking the bowl, followed the Lord(Buddha) to the Vihara(monastery), who there initiated him into monkhood, though Nanda wished it not. From that time, knowing that Nanda was oppressed by his distaste, the Lord(Buddha) trained it away, so that Nanda, by thoroughgoing meditation, established insight and attained arahantship(enlightenment). Thereafter, enjoying the bliss of liberty, be said: 'O excellent method of the Lord(Buddha), by which I was drawn out of the bog of rebirth and set on Nibbana's path!' And joying in his reflections he uttered these verses: ---- 157 Ayeniso manasikārā maṇḍanaɱ anuyuñjisaɱ,|| Uddhato capalo cāsiɱ kāmarāgena aṭṭito.|| || 158 Upāyakusalenāhaɱ buddhenādiccabandhunā,|| Yoniso paṭipajjitvā bhave cittaɱ udabbahinti.|| || ---- 157 Heedless and shallow once my thoughts were set On all the boldness of outward show; Weak was I and not serious; all my days Were worn with wanton sensuality. 158 But by the Buddha's skilful art benign, Who of sun's lineage comes, was I brought To live by deeper thought, by which my heart From (the great swamp of endless) life3 I drew. ---- And the Exalted One(Buddha), discerning how eminently he was trained in self-control, declared him before the Monk’s order to be chief in that among his disciples,4 even in that conferring that distinction to which the Thera, in past ages, had once aspired. ---- 1 See Ps. I., p. 6 f. Nanda is called Nandiya above (Ps. XXV). This single verse may have been incorporated from some such collection of Mara(deathlord/devil) anecdotes as those in the Bhikkhunī- Saŋyutta (see Windisch, Māra'' und Buddha,'' p. 134), and the form for his name used there left unaltered. The difference is only that between, e.g., Joy, Joyous.' 2 ''Jāt., vi., No. 547; Buddhist Birth Stories, p. 124. 3 Bhava, becoming. Saŋsārapanke nimuggaŋ. Cy. 4 He is so distinguished in Ang. Nik., i. 25. ---- =2.2-9 139 Commentary on the stanza of Nandatthera= The stanza starting with Ayoniso manasikārā constitutes that of the venerable thera Nanda. What is the origin? It is said that this one was reborn in a family home in the city of Haṃsavatī at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara; On having attained the age of intelligence he kept listening to the truth (dhamma) in the presence of the Glrious One, when he saw the Master placing a certain monk at the foremost position of those who had their doors of controlling faculties guarded; he himself, aspiring for that position, brought abouty (pavattetvā) a great charity comprising abundant reverential offering and respectful honour for the Blessed One as well as the clergy of monks, and made his resolution (panidhāna) thus:– “May I also become a disciple, similar to this thera, of a Buddha like you in future;” beginning from that time, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn as a huge tortoise in a river, named Vinatā, at the time of the Glorius One Atthadassī; one day, on having seen the Master standing on the shore in order to go to the further shore of the river, the tortoise lay itself down at the base of the feet of the Master, being desirious of transporting the Blessed One by itself. The Master observed the tortoise’s intention and mounted its back. Glad and delighted the tortoise cut across the channel and sent the Master across but to the further shore more swiftly. The Blessed One, speaking words of thanks to the Tortoise, taught it about its future prosperity and departed. On account of that act of merit, the tortoise wandered about its rounds of repeated rebirths but in excellent existences even and was reborn in the womb of Mahāpajāpati Gotamī to become the son of the great king Suddhodana when this Buddha arose. On his naming day they gave him but the name Nanda, saying he was born gladdening the hearts of the crowd of relatives. On his having come of age, the Master was turning the excellent wheel of truth (dhamma), making the uplift of the world, when He went to Kapilavatthu, taught the Vessantara Jātaka, after having made the lotus rain shower (pakkharavassa) at the coming-together of His relatives, entered for alms food on the second day, had His father established in the fruition of the first stage of sanctification (sotāpatti), by means of the stanza starting with “uttitthe nappamajjeyya (one should be active but not become negligent),” went to the royal residence, had Mahāpajāpati established in the fruition of Once-returner (sakadāgāmi) by means of the stanza starting with “Dhammaṃ care sucaritaṃ (one should practise the well-cultivated truth (dhamma),” on the third day, when the auspiscious ceremonies of the coronation, entering royal residence and wedding were being conducted, He entered for alms-food, gave His bowl into the hand of the young prince Nanda, said His blessings (maṅgalaṃ), went to the monastery without even taking back His bowl from the prince’s hand, made a monk of him, who had come holding the bowl to the monastery, against his desire even came to know that he was being oppressed with deep displeasure over his being made a monk in that manner, and dispelled that displeasure of his by means of a trick (upāyena). He made his reflection wisely (yoniso paṭisaṅkhāya), placed himself in the path of spiritual insight and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadana:– “The Blessed One Atthadassī, the Self-dependent (sayambhū) leader of the world, the Tathāgata came near the shore of the river Vinatā. Having specially come out of water, I, the tortoise who had its posture in water, being desirous of transport- ing Buddha, approached the leader of the world. May the great Sage, Buddha Atthadassī mount on me. I shall send you across; you are the destroyer (antakaro) of distress (dukkha). On having come to know my intention, the highly reputed Atthadassī, the leader of the world did mount and stood on my back. Since I remembered myself and since I had attained the age of intelligence, there had not existed in me such a happiness as when the soles of His feet touched (me). The Self-awakened Buddha, highly reputed Atthadassī, having crossed over, stood on the river bank and spoke these stanzas. As far as there occurred in (my) mind that I was to cross the flowing water of the river, this wise king of tortoise sent me across. By this transporting of Buddha and possession of the heart of loving kindness, (this tortoise) will bemuse itself in the divine world for eithteen hundred aeons. Having come back here from the divine world, being urged by his bright basis (sukkamūla) he will sit in a single seated posture (ekāsana) and cross over the stream of suspicion, (kaṅkhāsota). According as in a fertile field, seeds, though meagre may have been sown, when heavy shower rains down, the hervest of crops satisfies the cultivator, but in the same manner in this field of Buddha, the teaching has been made by the well self-awakened Buddha; when heavy shower rains down, the fruition will satisfy me. I have directed my self towards strenuous effort (padhāna); I am cooly calm and free from substratum (upadhi); having all-round understood all cankers, I live free from cankers. It was eighteen hundred aeons (kappa) ago, that I then did my deed. I do not remember any evil existence, this is the fruitful result of sending across. My depravity had been burnt; … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he, enjoying the bliss depravity (pahīnasaṃkilesaṃ) and the happiness aptly gained saying thus: “Wonderful! The clever trick was of the Master, by which I was pulled out from the muddy swamp of existence and established on the dry land of nibbāna;” (the thera) spoke two stanzas by way of solemn utterance of joy (udāna), his delight having well arisen. 157. “On account of unwise mindedness I would be accoudingly devoted to mending myself (mandana); afflicted with sensual lust (kāmarāga), I was conceited (uddhata) and fickle, (capala). 158. I was aptly made to be wise (yoniso paṭipajjitvā) by Buddha, the Kinsman of the sun, clever in means, who made my mind come out of the mud of exis- tance. There, ayoniso manasikāra means: owing to my minding without means (anupāyamanasikārato) the unpleasant body has become the cause of minding from the point of view of being pleasant (subhato) after bearing in mind as being pleasant, with the perception of pleasantness over the unpleasant body; thus, is the meaning. Manḍanaṃ means:– adornment of the body with ornaments attached to hands and so on as well as with garlands of flowers and perfumes. Anuyunjisaṃ means I became accordingly engaged in (anuyuñjiṃ), I was devoted to the adornment of my body; thus, is the meaning. Uddhato means: unbalanced and unallayed minded on account of birth, clan, handsomeness, youthfulness and so on. Capalo means; to be unsteady (lolo) owing to the mind not standing still, resembling a forest monkey; or I was capalo ca (fickle also) because I was connected with such fickleness as mending the body, adorning the garments and so on. Āsiṃ means: I was (ahosiṃ). Kāmarāgena means: with lustful desire in material pleasure (vatthukāma); aṭṭito means: I was oppressed (pīḷito) and injured (vibādhito); thus, is the interpretation. Upāyakusalena means by the adept, clever in the means of taming those who are amenable to discipline (vineyyānam); Buddhena means: by the Blessed One, who had been the cause. This instrumentive word (karanavacanaṃ) is indeed in the meaning of cause (hetuatthe). (The thera) speaks, in connection with his own goal of banquetting (āpanayana) of sensual lust in exhortation of (or reproof of) hawking (bargain) talk (upakkitavādacodanāya) by showing a she-monkey squatting (paluṭṭha) and celestial nymphs. Indeed, the Blessed One said to the venerable Nanda thera first of all in connection with Janapadakalyānī thus: “According as this she-monkey, so is Janapadakalyānī to be compared with (upādāya) the dove-footed (celestial nymphs with beautiful legs),” as if pulling out and removing a small linch-pin from a large linch-pin, also similar to a physician extracting defects (dosa) by means of vomitting and purging (vamanvirecanehi) after having moistened (kiledetvā) the body with viscous liquid and drinks (sinehapānena) made the mind become detached from Janapadakalyānī by closely showing (nidassanena) the dove-footed fairies and again having made the mind become detached from the dove-footed fairies also by a buyer’s (bargaining) talk (upakkitavādena), made him become established in the noble path (ariyamagga) but by excellent (sammadeva) and constant devotion (anuyoga) to calm composure (samatha) and spiritual insight (vipassanā). Therefore, it has been said: “Yoniso paṭipajjitvā, bhave cittaṃ udabbahiṃ.” It means: Having aptly entered upon the purely proper path (visuddhipaṭipadaṃ) but excellently (sammadeva) by means of calm composure (samatha) and clear insight (vipassanā), by tricky means and knowledge, I made my mind which was immersed (or sunk) in existence, the mud of rounds of repeated rebirths (saṃsāra) cross over by means of my hand of noble path (ariyamagga), and has it become established on the dry land of nibbāna. Having made solemnly this joyous utterance (udāna), the thera approached the Blessed One on the next day and said in this manner; “Venerable Sir! Whatever the Blessed One had given guarantee (paṭibhogo) to me for my aptly gaining the five hundred dove-footed divine damsels, Venerable Sir! I release the Blessed One from the premise (paṭissava). The Glorius One also said thus: - “O Nanda! Even as and when, indeed, your mind became clearly emancipated from the cankers (āsava), by not clinging to live of the world (anupādāya), then, I had become released from this commitment (paṭissava). Thereupon, the Blessed One, having come to know his condition of having his doors of controlling faculties guarded accompained by distinction, placed him at the foremost place for being accomplished with guarded doors over controlling faculties, in order to make manifest that quality (of his) thus:– “O monks! This one is the chief among monks, who are my disciples, who have their doors guarded in respect of controlling faculties, manely, this Nanda.” Indeed, the thera said to himself thus: “Depending upon lack of such self-control as over my controlling faculties, I had reached this ugly situation (vippakāra), I shall suppress but this severly (suṭṭhu),” became full of effort (ussāhajāto), came to be copiously conscientious with serious sense of shame and fear (balavahirottappo), and there also he reached the highest height of perfection (ukkaṃsapāramiṃ) in the self-control of controlling faculties (indriyasaṃvare) owing to having done devoted duties (katādhikārattā). The Commentary on the stanza of the thera Nanda is complete. *******oOo ******* ---- ' 'MORE FROM BUDSAS.ORG ' ' NANDA THERA Nanda was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maha Pajapati Gotami. He was the step-brother of Prince Siddhattha. Nanda was celebrating three important events on the day that the Buddha visited the palace for His noonday meal. He was celebrating his consecration to the throne, his marriage to Janapada Kalyani, and his housewarming ceremony. After the meal the Buddha handed His bowl to Nanda and left the palace to return to the monastery. Out of respect for the Buddha, Nanda followed Him with bowl in hand, thinking, "Surely the Lord will take the bowl from me shortly." The Buddha, however, did not take back the bowl. Nanda, who respected His older brother, the Buddha, followed Him to the monastery. His betrothed, seeing him following the Buddha, ran after him in tears, saying, "Return quickly, O Noble Lord." These affectionate words and his beloved’s tears moved Nanda deeply. But so great was his reverence for the Buddha that he could not hand back the bowl. On reaching the monastery the Buddha, who saw that Nanda had the potential of reaching Arahanthship, asked him if he would like to be ordained as a monk. Nanda was torn. He wanted to go back to his betrothed. But how could he refuse the Buddha? So great was his respect for his older brother, the Buddha, that he reluctantly agreed. Nanda, the Bhikkhu, was not happy. He kept thinking of his bride-to-be. Finally, in desperation, he approached his fellow monks and related his troubles to them. Nanda informed them that he intended to give up the holy life and go back to the life of a house- holder. The news of Nanda’s decision soon reached the Buddha. Approaching Nanda, the Buddha questioned him as to the problem. Nanda informed the Buddha that he was distracted and worried because he had left his beautiful bride on their wedding day. The Buddha, who with His divine eye saw that Nanda, with a little effort, could reach the supreme happiness of enlightenment, thought of a way to keep him in the Holy Life which was in keeping with his present frame of mind. Using His psychic powers the Buddha transported Nanda to the Tavatimsa Heaven. On the way He showed Nanda a singed female monkey who had lost her ears, nose and tail in a forest fire. Pointing to the celestial nymphs the Buddha asked Nanda who was the fairer, the celestial nymphs or his bride-to-be. Nanda, enticed by the extraordinary beauty of the celestial nymphs, replied that his bride-to-be was like the singed female monkey that they had seen on their way, when compared to the celestial nymphs. The Buddha, reading his immature mind, then said, "I guarantee that you will possess the celestial nymphs if you persevere and follow my instruction." Nanda, who was totally obsessed with the beauty of the celestial nymphs, childishly agreed. Nanda then informed his fellow monks of his decision to remain in the Holy order and the reason for his change of mind. Before long everybody knew that Nanda was following the Holy Order in the hope of possessing celestial nymphs. The young monks laughed and teased Nanda, calling him rude names. Their teasing brought Nanda to his senses. Ashamed of his base motives he set his mind towards enlightenment. Shortly after, by practising with diligence, Nanda achieved Arahanthship. Nanda describes his attachment, final deliverance and gratitude in Theragatha. On realizing the exquisite happiness of Nibbana, Nanda approached the Buddha and thanked Him respectfully by saying, "Lord I release you from your promise of celestial bliss." The Buddha then informed Nanda that He had been released from the promise the moment he had reached the supreme bliss of Nibbana, because the bliss of Nibbana was greater and transcended any celestial bliss. ----